


In Beds, Bigger is Better

by AwayLaughing



Series: All The Days That Have Passed [10]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Dorks in Love, M/M, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-04
Updated: 2014-07-04
Packaged: 2018-02-07 09:10:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1893405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwayLaughing/pseuds/AwayLaughing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shikamaru takes his bed very, very seriously. Neji should be honoured he's sharing it - not suspicious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Beds, Bigger is Better

**Author's Note:**

> Challenge taken from [here](http://awayandlaughing.tumblr.com/post/68217772129/30-day-otp-challenge-for-the-fluff-impaired)
> 
> Day 11 - sleeping arrangements

Shikamaru dozed under the late evening sun, enjoying the respite from the days scorching heat. All week it had been hitting forty with ease, and it had been hellish trying to get home from his last mission in a timely fashion. It had been odd, finally getting here and not going to his childhood house, but rather his tiny cabin.

 

He liked it, however. Liked the quiet, liked the coziness, he even kind of liked the picket fence. He liked less the fact his mother and Ino had dragged him all over Konoha for furniture and paint when he declared his intention to get his own place. The only high point had been when he pawned the painting job itself off on a genin team. Not the most noble thing in the world but he was honestly busy. Or had been. Now he was wondering what he was going to eat tomorrow considering the fridge was empty, and listening to Neji outside the window.

 

Honestly he didn't understand the other jōnin sometimes. Neji had his own house, one that was rather removed from the rest of the family and Shikamaru knew it was sealed to yomi and back at all times. If he wanted to attend to his weapons, he did not need to come to Shikamaru's house to do so. Still, he didn't mind, and he definitely didn't complain, or even bring it up, to Neji. Their relationship was strange enough without adding the strain of introspection to it. As he turned over his options namely left overs or take out, and tried not to think too hard about Neji, he heard the front door slide open and shut.

 

Stretching he shifted so he could see the door, and he watched as Neji padded toward him, setting his weapon's kit on table near the door.

 

“Sleeping at nine?” Neji asked, eyebrow raised, “surely even you aren't considering turning down for the night.”

 

“I was considering tomorrow's breakfast,” Shikamaru said, “from the comfort of my bed.”

 

“Your excessively large bed,” Neji said, finally stepping into the room. “It's a wonder you even managed to get the wardrobe in here.” Shikamaru shrugged, not bothered by the mild disapproval. Neji mildly disapproved of a lot of things, most of which were harmless on the day to day and could be ignored by sane individuals.

 

“Too big or not, it's comfortable,” Shikamaru said. “Besides, nine isn't that early, the sun is starting to go down.” Neji just gives him a look, one eyebrow cocked, lips pressed together. Whether it was amusement or not Shikamaru couldn't properly tell from this angle, and so he took a chance, patting the mattress beside him. “Take a seat, you'll give me a crick in the neck otherwise.”

 

For a moment Neji didn't move, simply stared him down, face carefully blank. Slowly he shrugged off his loose shirt, revealing the thin undershirt beneath. With the heat so bad everyone had been scrambling to keep both sunburn free and from over heating. No one, not even Neji, who could feign composure in all situations, had fully managed the task. Or so the fine sheen of sweat on his collar bone suggested. Idly, Shikamaru's eyes flicked to the still-new ANBU tattoo, but he didn't linger on it, instead letting his eyes fall shut. A moment later the bed dipped, and he shifted to keep from rolling into Neji.

 

After a moment they managed to arrange themselves in such a way they weren't in danger of actually touching. Neither spoke, either, Shikamaru just waiting for the concession he knew Neji would have to give him.

 

“It is comfortable,” he finally heard after what must have been a solid fifteen minutes. “However I all ready knew the quality of your mattress. It does not justify the size.” Shikamaru snorted, lowly, and turned to look at Neji.

 

“It has a purpose Neji, don't stress.”

 

Neji probably rolled his eyes though it could be hard to tell with the lack of normal eye features. “Is there a reason you're being so very vague, Nara?” Shikamaru nodded, fighting back the corner of his mouth which wanted to curl into a smirk. Neji was, for some reason or other, extremely prickly today. Probably the heat.

 

“Mmm.” Shikamaru rolled onto his side so they were actually face to face not just side eyeing one another. “Once you've relaxed some I'll stop.”

 

“I am relaxed,” Neji said, even as his brows drew together. Shikamaru raised one of his own.

 

“Tch. I'm relaxed. You're...you.”

 

White eyes narrowed and Neji raised himself on one elbow, “am I ruining the atmosphere?” he asked, rising more as if to leave. “Maybe I shoul-”

 

“Oh stop being so troublesome” Shikamaru grabbed the side of Neji's shirt, just under his arm. “I bought it so there'd be room for you.”

 

If nothing else, Neji stopped frowning. For a long second he seemed to still consider leaving before he more or less flopped back down. “Now you're the one being ridiculous.”

 

“I never said you were ridiculous, and I am not. I take up a lot of room when I sleep. Stands to reason if I plan on having a second person share it I should provide extra space for them.”

 

Neji said nothing. Carefully, Shikamaru took in the slightly narrowed eyes, the furrowed brow, the slightly wrinkled nose. One might mistake it for anger, but his jaw wasn't clenched and his hand remained splayed on the sheets, not formed into a fist.

 

“I'm person number two, then?” he asked, voice low as if he was worried some one would over hear through the open window. Shikamaru nodded, eyes trailing away and over to the empty white wall.

 

“Seems that way,” he said, forcing himself to look back to Neji. The sun had dipped enough that the room was fairly dark, and he could only hope any flush there may be on his cheek would be invisible in the semi-dark. He could feel how tense the other was, could see his hands poised to push him up off the bed. “Neji, I'm not asking you to move in, so stop trying to imitate a rock.”

 

The fact Neji actually took his advice stung a little, but he shoved that thought away for later consideration. The silence stretched between them, and Shikamaru forced himself to take his own advice, deep breaths belaying his sudden and pointless agitation.

 

“You're ridiculous, Nara.”

 

“You said that all ready.”

 

Neji shifted, and Shikamaru followed the sudden pressure on his neck so their foreheads gently bumped. The metal was cool against his forehead and he took a calming breath, relaxing as Neji's hand came away. “I obviously felt it bore repeating,” he squeezed lightly, a reassuring grip despite his words.

 

Shikamaru snorted, but didn't pull away, idly wrapping fingers around Neji's wrist. “We'll we're even. You're troublesome.”

 

Neji shook his head, letting go of Shikamaru, and Shikamaru of him, before finally settling into his pillow. Shikamaru returned to his own side with a sigh. “Night Neji.”

 

“It's nine forty two,” Neji said.

 

“You have something better to do?”

 

“Not particularly.”

 

“Then good night. Maybe when we wake up the heat wave will be gone.”

 

“And pigs will fly,” came the steady reply. Shikamaru didn't have to look to tell Neji was facing him. “Goodnight Shikamaru, sleep well.”

 

“You too,” he said, voice falling to a whisper, eyes trailing out to the starry sky even as they dipped closed.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I will not apologize for the terrible pun that is the title.


End file.
